In real terms we all hope mankind will be wise enough to avoid anything which could cause a cataclysmic demise of our world.
While I share that hope, as a miniature gamer I will admit post-apocalyptic settings are a favourite genre for me.And so I was intrigued when I first came across Wreck-Age online several months ago.
"The world of Wreck Age depicts the humanity's desperate struggle after betrayal and disaster have decimated Earth as we know it. Your introduction to Wreck Age begins in the 26th century, during the re-setting of the calendars, or Year Zero, the first year in the period of re-emergence of the seeds of civilization we call The Resurgence," details the game background.
"In Wreck Age, players participate in The Resurgence, humanity's second chance to save itself from extinction, building upon the ruins of the past. Some have banded together, while others go it alone. Some ride to war, leaving nothing but chaos in their wake, while others work ceaselessly for a lasting peace, safety and security. In Wreck Age, survival is your goal; your wits are your best friend, and sometimes the only reward for a job well done is simply surviving another day."
The company behind Wreck Age, Hyacinth Games, is actually hoping to launch a role playing game (RPG) in the same setting, and I can see that working well too.
Wreck Age came about because it's creators thought they could build a better game.
"I love skirmish games, and I didn't feel that there was a good game on the market that was the kind of game that I really wanted to play. It's probably a very common story," said Zaleski.
Well there are many skirmish games, dozens really, although those with a post-apocalyptic theme are indeed somewhat limited.
In that regard Zaleski and company have done an admirable job with Wreck Age, in particular with faction design. While the 'mad doctor' Stitchers are more scifi, the other three factions released so far, have a very 'real' feel to them.
The Stakers are survivors banding together to try and scratch out survival as an almost communal farm group.
The Drifters have a biker gang feel, with their focus on raiding and looting, rather than working to build a future.
And the Reclaimers hang on to the hope their future lies in gathering technology from before the disaster struck.
"Personally, I really love the Reclaimers, (inter-continental junk collectors) but the Stitchers (macabre ex-medical staff, who harvest people's body parts) are a favorite of mine as well," said Zaleski. "There are a few in the works that aren't really ready to be revealed yet that I'm really excited about as well."
The next four factions include a corporation trying to hold it's power and religious zealots, again logical extensions of our world today.
The overall size is on the small end of 28 mm. Yes there is variation from company-to-company in scale, and Wreck Age are a bit tiny, although that is really only a factor if you are mixing in minis from other games as proxies, or home-build ideas.
Overall the minis are great, but as a gamer who takes his minis on-the-road for most encounters, I may end up wishing they were just a bit more 'substantial'.
As a jumping off place in terms of game development Zaleski said they started with the basic premise of demise.
"I approached Matt to help create a world based on the premise of the world's elite leaving everyone else behind, and creating a post collapse background," he said. "We worked on that for a almost a year before really jumping into the mechanics, because we wanted the mechanics to really match the world, rather than just grabbing or making generic rules and applying them haphazardly."
That all said, there is enough in what is provided, the diversity of weaponry, chance of old tech failing, and range of special skills to make expectations for a finished game rather high.
Asked if Wreck Age was at the point of being a viable miniature game, Zaleski said gamers will ultimately decide that.
"I'm still not 100 per cent sure it's viable, I guess that will be up to everyone else to decide," he said. "I do know that I really enjoy playing it, and that regardless of how well it sells, I'll have an interest in it for years to come."
Check out the game at www.wreck-age.net
